In order to conserve energy, automobiles are now being engineered to give improved gasoline mileage compared to those in recent years. This effort is of great urgency as a result of Federal regulations recently enacted which compel auto manufacture to achieve prescribed gasoline mileage. These regulations are to conserve crude oil. In an effort to achieve the required mileage, new cars are being down-sized and made much lighter. However, there are limits in this approach beyond which the cars will not accommodate a typical family.
Another way to improve fuel mileage is to reduce engine friction. The present invention is concerned with this latter approach.
Use of graphite in motor oil is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,799. Likewise, dimethyl hydrocarbyl phosphonates have been used in crankcase motor oil to reduce friction (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 891,591, filed Mar. 30, 1978, U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,633.